Reversible brake-beam strut.



N. H. DAVIS.

REVERSIBLE BRAKE BEAM STRUT.

APPLICATlON FILED JULY 3.1915.

Patented Dec. 1'4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I Elwwwiow M 949414.;

N. H. DAVIS.

REVERSIBLE BRAKE BEAM STRUT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETSeSHEET 2.

Ehwamtoz NATHAN H.- DAVIS, 01? PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

REVERSIBLE BRAKE-BEAM STRUT.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATHAN H. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in th city and county of Philadelphia, in the gtate of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Reversible Brake-Beam Struts, of which the following is a true and exact de scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,- which form a part thereof.

My present invention relates to trussed railway brake beams, and has for its ob ect to provide a simple and effective fulcrum strut which is readily reversible, so that it may be applied to brake lever, inclined relatively to the beam in-either of the two directions in which such levers are inclined, thus making it unnecessary to provide separate right and left hand'struts. The desirability of making it unnecessary to provide separate right and left hand struts ,has long beenrecognized, and for this purpose many different forms of so called reversible struts have been proposed and som: of these have gone into actual use, My improved strut differs in substantial respects, however. from all prior reversible struts of which I have knowledge.

Novel characteristics of my improved strut are its division into two parts, or members, one of which seats against the compression member of the beam, while the other seats against-the'tension member of the beam. and has the brake lever pivotally connected to it midway of the member which are similar to one another and each provided with a seat adapted to engage the tension member of the beam. Provisions are made for detachably connecting the strut member seating on the compression member to either end of the 1' brake lever carrying strut member, and the inclination of.the brake lever may be re versed by turning the brake lever carrying strut member end for end:

important novel characteristic of my improved strut construction in its preferred form, is the fact that the brake lever carrying member has suitable provisions at each end for engagement by the cooperating parts or parts of any of the common forms of what is known as a fthird suspension. These provisions may well be so formed and Specification of Letters Patent.

a brake beam with the which is pivoted to the strut.

between the two ends two ends similarly shaped, each against the truss rod B, and

Patented Dec. 14:, 1915.

Application filed July 3, 1915. Serial .iiTo. 37,808.

disposed that they do not interfere with the use of a brake beam containing them, on any of the different types of trucks on which interchangeable brake beams are commonly used.

In the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter I have illustrated and described some of the various forms in which my invention may be embodied.

Of the drawings: Figure l is a plan view of a brake beam embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation taken on a larger scale then. and partly in section on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial plan of a portion of the beam shown in Fig. 1, the view being taken on the same scale as Fig. 2 and partly in section on the line 33 thereof; Fig. 4 is'a side elevation of the strut shown in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 with the two parts thereof separated: Fig. 5 is a section through the strut taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section taken similarly to Fig. 5. but with the strut reversed: Fig.7 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 2 showing a slight v modified form of main strut member: Fig. 8 is an elevation partlv in section and showing the in section, illustrating the application of my invention to a brake beam comprising a compression member of different cross section; Fig. 8 is an elevation tratingthe use of my invention in a b ake beam having no-p ovisions for a thi d.

suspension: and Fig. 9 IS an elevation partlyin section illustrating the application of my improved strut to a beam c mprising a compression member having still another cross section.

In the drawings. and referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, A represents the compression member. B the tensionflmember or truss rod, and C the brake heads of a trussed beam of a type in common, use. My improved strut connecting the central portions of the oppositely bowed compression and tension members A and B, comprises two parts, or members, I) and d. The brake lever carrying strut member, or part, D. has its being proshaped to fit terminating 1n spaced apart bracket ears D. The ears D at the end of the member D adjacent the truss rod in the assembled beam are curved vided with a curved seat D beam compression member partly in section illusand alined apertures D are provided midway between the ends of the member D for the brake lever fulcrum pin.

The member (1 is shown as comprising a hollow rectangular body fitting about the compression member A, which, as shown, is of channel bar section. The member (1 also comprises top and bottom extensions-(l and d which fit against thetop and bottom surfaces of the end of the member D to which the part of is secured. The extensions (l and d are formed with bolt holes to receive the bolt F by which the strut members and d are secured together.

A web d* connects the extensions (1 and d to one another and to the hollow rectangular body of the member d. This web (1, which does not extend to the outer ends of the extensions (P and (i has a portion of its outeredge shaped to form a stop against which the member D abuts. As shown, the curved edge d of the web (1 abuts against the crown of the truss rod bearing of the adjacent end of the member D. The web (1 thus limits the approach of the member D toward the compression member A of the beam when the latter is being assembled. The frame like body of the member d. is formed at its inner side with apertures (1 through which the ears D project into the open side of the channel bar shaped compression member A. 'In assembling the beam. the walls of the apertures (l serve to fix the relative positions of the members D and (l in the direction of the length of the beam. Alined apertures d and d are formed in the top and bottom walls of the hollow body of the member of to receive the Wedge key by which the part d is rigidly clamped to the beam 1 compression memb er A.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the extension (1 of the member (1 is curved to fit about a portion of the ears D which projects laterally beyond the outline of the body portion of the member D. In consequence, the extensions d? and d must be sprung apart somewhat in connecting the members D and d to. or detaching them from one another. This, of course, introduces no real difficulty when the member D is made of malleable cast iron, as is usual. Advantageously. as shown, the web d is cut away along the lines d and d to facilitate the insertion of the member D between the is also formed at each.

member engaging strut parts,

extensions (1 and d and its removal therefrom, and to reduce the amount to which the extensions d apart to permit such insertion and removal.

With the construction described it will be obvious-that by turning the strut member D, end for end, relative to the remaining parts of the brake beam, brake lever slot D and consequently of the brake lever mounted'therein may be made either that shown in Fig. 5, or that shown in Fig. '6. thus avoiding all necessity for separate right and left hand strut members. Inasmuch as the brake lever carrying strut member D does not directly engage the com pression member of the beam, the length of the member D, is not fixed between the tension and compression members of the beam, but is fixed by the distance desired between either seat D and the center line of the apertures D". The last mentioned distance is required by standard railway practice to be less than half the distance between the tension and compression members of the beam.

The strut as a whole is exceedingly simple, and the parts composing it are rigidly secured together and cannot get out of adjust.- ment in operation-and may readily be made of ample strength. It is a comparatively easy matter to put my improved strut in place in the initial assembling of a beam. or to reverse the lever-carrying strut member when this is desirable, in the case of a preciously assembled beam.

My-invention is not limited in its use to any particular t pe of truss beam, but may readily be designed for se in connection with many different type of truss beams; indeed to fit the great majority of truss beams now in use. it is only necessary to provide a corresponding number of compression for at the present time most of the different types of truss brake beams in use differ from one another. in so far as the application of a strut thereto is concerned. only in the cross section of the compression member of the beam. Vhile each compression member ordinarily requires that the strut member connected to be shaped to correspond to the special cross section member. the same form of the brake lever carrying member of the strut may be use in most cases. This is illustrated by Figs. 7. 8 and 9. In these figures and in Fig. 8, I have illustrated some of the changes in the form of embodiment of my invention which may be made to meet different operating conditions or to fit different brake beam designs. In Fig. 7, for instance. the main strut member DA- corresponds generally to the member D hereinbefore'referred to. differing therefrom only in the fact that the ears d, corresponding to the ears D of the the inclination of-the.

by the. distance.

of the compression provisions meager member D, form a closed truss rod receiving eye instead of an open eye. The ears (Z moreover, do not project laterally beyond the outline of the end of the member DA.

'The strut member da corresponds generally to the strut member cl hereinbefore referred to, differing mainly in the shape of the web portion 6Z connecting the extensions (5 and cl which in thisconstruction are similar to one another. Y

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated the application of my improved strut construction to a brake beam in which the compression member AA is of U section. As shown, the strut of Fig. 8 ditfers from that shown in Fig. 7, only in the connecting part db which replaces the part dot, and is shaped to fit about the brake beam compression member AA.

lhe construction illustrated in Fig. 9 difffers from that shown in Figs. 7 and 8 only in that the compression member AB of the brake beam is an angle bar and the connecting part (Z0 of the strut is correspondingly shaped. V

lVhile, as already stated, I consider it a distinct advantage of my invention that my improved strut ma be readily formed with fora third suspension my improved strut can also be used in a beam not equipped with provisions for a third suspension. In this case the eyes D are dispensed with, and the lever carrying member of the strut correspondingly shortened. This is illustrated in Fig. 8-, where the main strut'member DB has its ends formed with a groove adapted to receive the truss rod of the beam. In this construction the connecting part (M has lugs d interposed between the adjacent end of the main strut member DB and the edges of the compression member of the beam which, as shown, is of U shape as in Fig. 8. While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I have illustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other changes-may be made in the embodiments of my invention disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention, and that under some conditions certain features of my invention may be used without a corresponding use of other features.

' Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A. two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an end for end re-- arr-able, brake lever carrying strut member l1:-.\. ng its two ends each formed with a seat second strut member for the 'brake beam tension member, and a formed with a seat for the brake beam compression member and adapted to be interposed between the latter and the first mentioned strut member.

an extension projecting 2. A two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an end for end reversible, brake lever carrying strut member having its two ends each formed with a seat for the brake beam tension member, and a. second strut member formed with a seat for the brake beam compression members and adapted to be interposed between the latter and the first mentioned strut member, and means for detachably securing the two strut members together.

3. A two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an end for end reversible, brake lever carrying strut member having its two ends eachformed with a seat for the brake beam tension member and with provisions for a third suspension connection, and a second strut member formed with a seat for the brake beam compression member andadapted to be interposed between the latter and the first mentioned strut member.

st. A. two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an end for end reversible, strut member havingits two ends each formed with a seat for the brake beam tension member, and having means for connecting a brake lever to said strut member to turn about an axis midway between the two seats of said strut member, and a scc 0nd strut member formed with a seat for the brake beam compression member and adapted to be interposed between the latter and the first mentioned strut member.

5. A two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an end for end reversible,

mentioned strut member when so interposed.

6.4%. two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an end for end reversible, brake lever carrying strut member havirig its two ends each formed with a seat for the brake beam tension member and with beyond said seat and embracing the tension member engaging said seat and apertured for a third suspension connection, and a second strut member formed with a seat for the brake beam compression member and adapted to be interposed between the latter and the first mentioned strut member.

7 A two part fulcrum strut brake beam comprising an end for versible, brake lever carrying strut for a, truss end remember having its two ends each formed with a seat' for a brake beam tension member, and a I bra'ke lever carrying strut member having its two ends each formed with a seat second strut member interposed between the first mentioned strut member and the compression member of the beam and comprising a portion adapted to surround said compression member and apertured to receive a portion of the adjacent end of the first mentioned strut member.

8. A two part fulcrum strut for a truss brake beam comprising an'end for end reversible, brake lever carrying strut member having its two ends each formed with. a seat for a brake beam tension member, and with a pair of spaced apart ears extending trans versely to and projecting beyond said seat, anda second strut member interposed between the first mentioned strut member and the compression member of the beam and comprising a frame portion adapted to surround the compression member of the beam and formed with apertures in one side to receive the said ears of the adjacent end of the first mentioned strut member and formed with a portion extending awayfrom said frame between said apertures and adapted to' engage the said seat of the adjjacent end of the first mentioned strut mem- 9. In a, truss brake beam the combination with a tension member of a compression member of channel bar cross section and having its open side toward the tension member, and a strut connecting the central portions of said tension and compression members, and comprising two parts, one a brake lever carrying member having its two ends each formed with a seat for the tension member, one or the other of said seat engaging the tension member in the assembled beam while the other end of said strut member projects into the open side of the compression member of the beam, and the other strut part interposed between the first mentioned strut member and the compression member of the beam and comprising an open ended frame surrounding said compression member and -apertured to permit a portion of the first mentioned strut member to project into said compression member.

NATHAN H, DAVIS. 

